This thread serves as the most updated and collective source of information for the upcoming combat rewrite. Information from this thread supersedes and overrides anything previously mentioned in other threads or announcements.

The combat rewrite features a hybrid technology that allows us to treat players and NPCs equally in most situations, which effectively fixes problems stemming from player-versus-player combat and also allows us to easily write support for NPCs to behave much more like players, including preparing and casting spells in a shared magic system, dynamic roundtimes assignment, using physical equipment (weapons/armor), etc.

As you all know, this project has been ongoing for nearly three years (and is almost done, thankfully), so I am probably forgetting a lot of stuff I have developed, re-written, fixed, and recalculated during that time that isn't on the list above. Therefore, the list above should serve more as a guide to how much longer you should expect to it to be until the system is released rather than exactly what it contains (other threads will have more information on that).

I will be adding to this list any sub-projects I have forgotten or feel is required before the release of the rewrite as well as updating the list with progress towards a project. If you notice the progress lowers by any reason, it's because it is either being re-done or an unexpected factor has increased the amount of work involved in that project. Although at this point, it's very unlikely either will be the case since most of the development is all literal/technical and almost none of it's conceptual anymore.

Last edited by GDEXXY on Feb 19, 2007 (9:34 pm), edited 3 times in total.

Updated this morning... added a few smallish projects and updated the status of existing ones. I do have a tenative release date for my staff, but we're not releasing this to players (I'd hate to have to change it last minute for whatever reason).

Great to hear about the rewrite progress. I can't wait for that rewrite, all the more if the ranger guild will get it's rewrite soon after that (by the way, I don't wanna be a pain but what's the situation on the ranger's guild rewrite? - as in how far down on the list after the combat rewrite is it really now?). But as it seems a lot of things will be affected by it.

First off, let me say this: I love Eaxia Online. I came back to it after an extended absence due to RL issues that prevented me from playing much of ANY games, but Eaxia was often in my thoughts. This thread is not intended to be a flame, complaint, or otherwise 'negative' post. This is just a long-time player seeking answers to an issue where few are generally granted.

According to the post at the top of this thread, it was last updated in February of 2007... How about an update for here in 2008? Looks like it didn't have a whole lot of hardcore issues to figure out, mostly the 'Small Projects', a little more than half of the 'Medium Projects' were near complete, and only 1 item remained in the 'Large Project' and that was approximately 95% complete.

GDEXXY wrote:Here's where we stand on the rewrite (updated Feb. 19, 2007):

GDEXXY wrote:As you all know, this project has been ongoing for nearly three years (and is almost done, thankfully),

So after what, 4-5 years of development, is this really going to happen or not? And if it's still 'in development' what's the hold up? Need more coders? My application was submitted a couple of months ago, I can submit it again if necessary.

GDEXXY wrote: If you notice the progress lowers by any reason, it's because it is either being re-done or an unexpected factor has increased the amount of work involved in that project. Although at this point, it's very unlikely either will be the case since most of the development is all literal/technical and almost none of it's conceptual anymore.

Again, I'm not trying to flame or complain here, but I'll be honest, enough vagueness - please give us some definitive answers on this issue!

GOTHICPROPHET wrote:First off, let me say this: I love Eaxia Online. I came back to it after an extended absence due to RL issues that prevented me from playing much of ANY games, but Eaxia was often in my thoughts. This thread is not intended to be a flame, complaint, or otherwise 'negative' post. This is just a long-time player seeking answers to an issue where few are generally granted.

According to the post at the top of this thread, it was last updated in February of 2007... How about an update for here in 2008? Looks like it didn't have a whole lot of hardcore issues to figure out, mostly the 'Small Projects', a little more than half of the 'Medium Projects' were near complete, and only 1 item remained in the 'Large Project' and that was approximately 95% complete.

Again, I'm not trying to flame or complain here, but I'll be honest, enough vagueness - please give us some definitive answers on this issue!

It's not an easy thing to give definitive answers when our staff resources are so very far from definite. Astracon was on military leave for the last two months, and as you all know, he had taken over for me (in most areas) since I started my position with MicroNet Systems. The whole point of which was so that with my reduced available time, I'd have a reduction in (mostly Administrative) responsibilities, leaving that free time for the combat rewrite. At this point, we should almost just call it a game rewrite, but the content isn't changing, just the underlying mechanics fueling most of the systems. But I digress...

Unfortunately, that's not the way it's worked out. I spend most of my Eaxian time answering e-mails and doing server administration, especially with how troublesome the new equipment's been. Though I'm still glad we have it (essentially two faulty drives wreaked havoc -- and have finally lost the last bit of trust I had in Western Digital technologies). While my personal life has changed in dozens of ways the past year (moved to a new state, started a new career, surgeries, you name it), I'm still spending as much time as I can plugging away at my arch-nemesis: combat rewrite.

What *should* have happened, and didn't, was the majority of what combat is waiting for would have been completed months ago. Mostly this means rebalancing creatures/NPCs and updating them to meet the new system's requirements (mostly in terms of giving them proper inventories) as well as a vast overhaul of equipment upgrades. Current equipment (weapons and armor) can't be used in the new system and you may be surprised how large a change that is. Treasure systems, crafting systems, shops, reward items, quality control and staff training documents, support utilities, etc. all have to be updated and ready to launch live first (or in tandem). Let's not forget that all of the existing equipment out there either needs some kind of automatic conversion system (which will be near impossible because of how it will function in level ranges) or staff on hand to continually do manual upgrades for players who have items dear to them. And you know you do ;)

I could go on. But let's not -- what you care about is 5% for 'why didn't it happen' and 95% for 'when will it happen'.

Astracon's back from his military deployment and we have a formal staff meeting scheduled to regroup and see who can do what, and when, this upcoming Wednesday (4/2/08). As has been for months and months, combat will be underlined as the sole priority. I'll know more precicely when I should expect the Eaxian staff to deliver on the updates required for combat to go live.

Right now, if I had to give my best educated guess...

There are approximately 100-150 hours remaining in area developments. 50-75 hours remaining in NPC rebalancing and 50 hours remaining in NPC equipping. 200 hours remaining in shop equipment upgrades, 50 hours in treasure system equipment upgrades, and 50 hours in crafting system equipment upgrades. I'm going to guess about 100-250 hours of miscellaneous balancing issues (especially with regards to magic damage), core coding, and bugfixes on top of that. Then it'll be ready for a week or two of public beta before we can push it to the live server.

If my estimates are accurate (and please, it's a guess, folks), that puts us at 600-825 development hours. If it's just me working on it by myself for 15 or so hours a week, that's nearly ten months from now until I can finish it alone. That won't be the case, but until I know who has what availability and if they can work at my pace, it'll be simply a wild, random guess to put a number on it today. That said: a wild, random guess would probably be likely that mid to late May 2008 is not out of the question for public beta test of the new system. We'll see, though, as that may be too optimistic.

Your update is, actually, precisely what I was looking for. While I asked for specifics, I did understand that with a project as large as the rewrite a specific release date would be too premature and would only further frustrate players when that day came and went without the release - for whatever reason. However, showing us the amount of time (a guess at best is better than nothing, in my opinion) that remains for the development of the system is greatly appreciated.

When I was an active player of Eaxia before (before my hiatus that is) and the combat rewrite was first mentioned to me, I was excited and eagerly anticipating it's release. Of course, back then the project wasn't nearly as ambitious as it's evolved into, so a development time of a couple of months had many of us salivating as we pondered over speculative 'details' and 'likely changes.' But after a while, the only things we heard from the staff were things like 'we're working on it.' or 'it's gonna be great when it's released, but we can't say when that'll be.' And those responses were ultimately frustrating to the player base.

So again, thank you Exxy, for taking the time to answer my post as honestly as you can. And even if it didn't include a potential release date for the rewrite to go live, it did present us with a possible (and subject to change, which is acceptable to me) date for a public beta, which is always a good thing!

Again, I've been inactive for many years due to reasons that have nothing to do with the Combat Rewrite, or even Eaxia as a whole, for that matter... but I think it's cute singing Happy Birthday to a computer program :p hehehe

Again, I've been inactive for many years due to reasons that have nothing to do with the Combat Rewrite, or even Eaxia as a whole, for that matter... but I think it's cute singing Happy Birthday to a computer program :p hehehe

Same time, same place, next year?

--WQ

JANUS (the new server I bought for Eaxia) is one year old now. It was put into commission this week of last year.

uoh, uoh, uoh, I can answer this one... precisely slow. Meaning he is being very careful to make precise changes that will not overwhelm the resources at hand. Soon in the life of a sun could be an understatement but more than likely it is an overstatement which when coupled with the electromagnetic force of our mutually repulsive social graces places the true burden of how's it going squarely on our shoulders. So, let me ask you, not out of curiosity but more out of necessity in clarifying this matter and rectifying the situational pull of the universe on our separate but equal portals (most of the time) . . . How's it going?

Tuls

"Were I to use the wits the good Spirits gave me,Then I would say this lady cannot exist.For what sane man would hold a dream to be reality.Yet rather would I not be saneAnd lend belief to charmed, enchanted eyes."

THAT is exactly what I said... but I think that I got to the meat of the matter a bit quicker and with exceptional style.

Tuls

"Were I to use the wits the good Spirits gave me,Then I would say this lady cannot exist.For what sane man would hold a dream to be reality.Yet rather would I not be saneAnd lend belief to charmed, enchanted eyes."

TULSIDAS wrote:uoh, uoh, uoh, I can answer this one... precisely slow. Meaning he is being very careful to make precise changes that will not overwhelm the resources at hand. Soon in the life of a sun could be an understatement but more than likely it is an overstatement which when coupled with the electromagnetic force of our mutually repulsive social graces places the true burden of how's it going squarely on our shoulders. So, let me ask you, not out of curiosity but more out of necessity in clarifying this matter and rectifying the situational pull of the universe on our separate but equal portals (most of the time) . . . How's it going?

Tuls

i fell asleep half way through reading that ... autumn's explanation was so much better :p